65th Sapporo Snow Festival
You’re deciding when the best time to go to Japan is...
Spring – there’s cherry blossoms.
Summer – there’s lavender.
Autumn – the leaves change colour and it’s all pretty and
nice.
Winter – there’s snow, and cold…and the annual Sapporo Snow
Festival!
Fast facts about this wintery festival.
1. It’s usually held in the first week of February.
It is one week long only. This year it was held from the 5th- 11th
Feb.
2. An estimated 2 million visitors, both foreign
and local attend this festival annually.
3. Since four years ago, Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid) began
featuring in the festival, as a special snow Miku segment. This year is Miku’s
fifth anniversary at the festival, and it features a magical girl snow Miku.
4. There is an international snow sculpture contest
during the festival, in which various countries from around the world take part
in. (I’ll talk about where Singapore stands in this…yes we participated.)
5. The main festival area is Odori park, which is
about 1.5 km long.
The snow festival is definitely a highlight during winter in Hokkaido, Japan. New Chitose airport is all decked out in snow Miku, hotels are often booked
full and the event space flooded with people.
Miku at New Chitose airport |
I was lucky enough to be there this year, so here’s the
account first hand (a.k.a a short how-to guide if you are thinking about going
next year), and my amateurishly taken photos.
1. Finding Odori park
Finding the park is easy, you may choose to walk through the
underground walkways due to the weather, or easily take a cab from wherever.
(Most cab drivers would recommend you go to the festival the moment you step
into the cab…true story.)
I took the underground walkways, there are mini concerts and events that
run along the fringes of these walkways and the closer you get to Odori park the
more posters and booths you’ll see. Going there the ‘local way’ through the
subways is the more immersive experience.
2. When you’re there!
It depends which street you exit at, but you’ll know you’re there when
you see the huge giant snow sculptures.
A sculpture for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics |
The whole park is very orderly, it is divided into 12 sections, with
one-way walking traffic flow so a suggestion would be to start at section 1,
and go one-way down the park. Right at the end of the park is a citizen's square, where the locals were able to build their own snow sculptures.
Ice sculpture featuring Taiwan |
Audi A3 |
Yep...Totoro...very popular there. |
The Sultan Abdul Samad Building - Malaysia |
Mausoleum of Itmad-Ud-Daulah - India |
Arc de Triomphe - Citizen's square |
No prizes for guessing who they are - Citizen's square |
Hello Kitty - Citizen's square |
Angry Birds - Citizen's square |
3. What about food?
There is a food village about halfway through the park, they sell mostly
grilled items, freshly done on the spot, and piping hot, great for the cold
weather. If you need a drink, just buy yourself one at the famous vending machines
dotted throughout the street.
4. And the international snow sculpting contest you
were talking about?
Ah yes. Japan invites people from the various countries that they have
close relations with to participate, from Hong Kong to Thailand to Singapore
and Hawaii.
If you’re curious about this year’s result. Korea came in first, followed
by Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.
Korea - Mobius Glove |
Hong Kong - The jumping Qilin |
5. What about Miku?
Well, she had an area devoted to her. Complete with her own snow sculpture,
stage, posters, store, stamps and plenty of fans.
There was almost nothing left at the store toward the end of the
festival, but I did snag myself a 2014 snow Miku plush and a key chain. So if you want Miku merchandise, go early.
2014 magical girl snow Miku plush ^^ |
So yes, it’s dreadfully cold and extremely slippery in winter, but no two
snow festivals are the same and the snow sculptures are demolished after the
festival period.
Therefore, man up and brave the cold! Instead of catching sakura
season, it’s definitely worth timing your next Japan visit to catch the Sapporo snow festival.
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